How Time Passes
by Crazy-moonchild
Summary: Dawn and Buffy are living in England when an old friend comes to town. This guest is dead set on protecting Dawn, but much to his surprise she isn't so helpless. A secret organization of vampires is after Dawn for reasons she can't comprehend. What will come of this? A relationship that can stand the heat, or a one night stand that leaves feelings hurt? Rated M for a reason!


Dawn

I looked at myself in the mirror and bit my bottom lip. My brown hair was curled and pined up like a princess, my blue eyes lined with black liner, and my lips painted red. I was wearing the olive green mascaraed dress; it hugged my body, making my waist small, and enhancing my chest. I looked at Buffy through the mirror. Her blonde hair was down and supper curly, her blue eyes lined with blue liner, and her lips painted pink. She was wearing a blue dress that was similar to mine, but where mine fell straight to the ground after hugging my hips, hers puffed out like a real princess dress. This was the stupidest thing I'd ever done; 17 years old and going to a Halloween party dressed like a rich woman.

"You look beautiful Dawn." Buffy smiled. I rolled my eyes with a smile and turned to face her.

"You do too." Buffy fanned her eyes like she may cry. I giggled.

"It isn't funny, you're so grown up." It had been a three since the Sunnydale misshape and now we lived in England with Giles. We'd spent time in Italy but when Buffy broke it off with the immortal we moved here. Willow had returned without Kennedy and Xander had stayed with us the whole time. It was the whole gang minus Spike and Angel who were working together still back in America last I heard.

"So why are we going to this party again?" I asked, not wanting to talk about me anymore. Buffy walked over to the vanity of my room and fixed her hair.

"Because Olivia is hosting it, and I think Giles is serious about her." Buffy explained. "So we're going for support." I nodded and leaned on the bedpost.

"I miss Sunnydale a little bit." I admitted randomly. Buffy looked at me and smirked.

"I guess I do a little, but I defiantly hate it more." I giggled.

"Let's go to the party then." I said as I held my hand out to Buffy. She took my arm with a smile. We both picked our dresses up and walked out of my room, heading towards the parlor.

*,*

I took a glass of punch and leaned against the wall next to the chair. I had given up on the chair an hour ago. I took a sip of the punch and held it at my stomach lazily. Cameron, Buffy's newest boyfriend, walked over to me with his charming smile. His black hair did a superman curl and his brown eyes looked at me intently. He was wearing a white tux with a black under shirt and red vest. He looked decent.

"Dawn." He greeted cheerily. I rolled my eyes and looked up at him, not really caring what he wanted. "Have you seen Buffy?" He asked. I shook my head and looked out into the crowd looking for her. What I saw was shocking. Spike was leaving the parlor; no he was being drug out of the parlor by some redhead. "I really need to see her and soon."

"Uh-huh." I said as I handed him the punch and walked after Spike and the mystery girl. When I reached the parlor door I pushed it open, walking out into the cool September night. I shivered and walked around the house just in time to see the redhead turn to ash. "Spike?" I called to him. Spike looked up at me and his expression was genuine shock.

"Nibblet." He said. I smiled and walked over to him. "Dawn you look absolutely stunning." He said as he looked me over. I blushed softly and shrugged.

"Thanks, you too." Spike was wearing an standard black tux and his normal bleached hair. Spike shrugged his jacket off and draped it over my shoulders.

"You're freezing." He sighed. I took his jacket gratefully and smiled. It was nice to see him, not roasting in the sun and all.

"I'm fine." I looked him over; he looked like his old self. "You're…well not burnt into a pile of ash." I said bluntly, not knowing how to sugar coat it. Spike smirked and looked past me.

"Yeah all skin and bones again." He told me.

"So what brings you to England?" He met my gaze again.

"I thought I'd see the mother country again." He said with a slight smirk. I leaned against the house and clutched his coat closer to me.

"Valid reason." I laughed lightly.

"Thought you were in Italy." He told me. I shook my head and looked back the way I'd came.

"No, Buffy had a bad break up so we moved in with Giles for better finances." I said as I bit my lip.

"School?"

"Graduated last year." I said with a smile. Spike smirked and put a cigarette in between his lips.

"Congratulations Dawnie." He said as he lit it. "So you're the big eighteen now." It was more of a statement than a question but I nodded anyways.

"Yep, freshman at University of London." He nodded and took a long drag. "You wan to go see Buffy?" I asked him. Spike shook his head.

"Don't think I can." He said. "Not sure how to come back after that exit I made." I held tight to his coat.

"I guess I never thought of that." I said. Spike blew the smoke out slow. "I'm glad you aren't all combusty anymore." Spike chuckled.

"Yeah me to pet." He said with amusement. Spike dropped his cigarette to the ground and stepped on it. I threw my arms around his neck and hugged him. Spike hesitantly hugged me back.

"I missed you so much." I told him. Spike kissed the top of my head and sighed.

"Me too." I pulled back and looked up at him. I gasped as someone jerked Spike away from me and slammed him against the house. "Bloody!" I tossed my curls back and looked over at the vampire. Before Spike could respond I pulled the vampire away and punched him in the face, causing him to stagger back. Spike threw the vampire to the ground and pulled a stake from his pocket. The vampire tripped Spike and stood back up, charging at me. I hit him in the stomach and kicked him in the face, the dress resisting only slightly. The vampire punched me, causing my face to jerk. I gasped and punched him in the stomach. The vampire fell back into Spike's stake, dusting himself. "Where the hell did you learn moves like that?" The last time Spike had seen me I only knew basic self-defense.

"I met people, learned things." I said with a smirk. "Plus my sisters like the top slayer and all." Spike nodded in understanding.

"That was pretty neat." He said. I shrugged. Something grabbed my hair and jerked me off the ground. I gasped and brought my elbow back into someone's face. I landed on my feet and turned around, kicking the second vampire.

"What is this?" I asked. I pointed to the house. "Full of slayers go there!" Spike pulled me close to him.

"They're after you." He whispered. I looked up at him confused and then when my gaze returned to the vampire there was five.

"Oh." I muttered. Spike grabbed my wrist and we took off in the opposite direction.


End file.
